cannonballs....

M ELEY · 10th March 2025, 02:21 AM

Here's an early grenado, perhaps, 1600's. It is roughly the size of a plum. Gilkerson, in Boarders Away II, says that these came in two sizes. Mine appears to be an 'Army' type, whereas naval grenados were larger, perhaps the size of a large orange. I know there are other shells with powder that were used like hand grenades, but the standard pattern 'easy to throw' types are the previously mentioned sizes. Mine has the distinction of still being filled to the rim with old congealed powder and shot (you can look down the hole and see it). As black powder can last for centuries, I keep this item in this highly protective plastic casing to shelter me if it explodes (

)! Actually, it is just to keep it dry. It is stored in a shadowy corner of my cabinet and I've used melted candle wax to 'seal it' as I have every belief that it is still techniquely explosive. But I won't go throwing it in any campfires any time soon!

M ELEY · 10th March 2025, 02:38 AM

Here we have a 2 pounder cannonball, reportedly dug locally at the Yadkin River (near my home) where a skirmish during the Revolutionary War took place at the Battle of the Shallow Ford. The Americans liked these smaller ordenance as they could be fired from small cannons called 'grasshoppers' (as they jumped off the grass with firing!) that could be pulled behind a single draft horse to position it. Incidentally, 2 pounders were also used in swival guns placed on gunwales to rake enemy boats approaching and on wall swivels on forts. The Lewis and Clark expedition had a small swivel gun mounted on their front batteau as they made their way on their historic voyage.

M ELEY · 11th March 2025, 02:49 PM

Forgot to mention that these 'grenadoes' where sometimes lit and then shot out of small mortars before they exploded, adding greatly to the distance they could be 'delivered'!!

Jim McDougall · 11th March 2025, 06:15 PM

These are incredible displays Capn, the Eley Maritime Museum!!!

It is amazing to see these items together in context like this. I dont know much on ordnance but I know its an area you have studied intently.
Would powder inside these be inert or completely gone after time ?

M ELEY · 11th March 2025, 07:03 PM

Hello Cap'n Jim! Good to hear from you! Black powder apparently has a very long shelf life and it is the reason that collectors have to be very careful if there is still powder in these shells. Most of the time, it gets washed away or mixes with earth and becomes inert. That being said, there have been people injured or even killed when dealing with these. The small grenado I posted is the only item I have that I know still has powder present. Years ago, I owned a very old coehorn mortar shell that someone plugged the hole with lead. Was it inert? I never found out, which is a good thing! Sold it a few years later. I know there have been places in Europe where old mortar shells from the 18th and earlier are found and the bomb squad is usually called in to safely detonate them.

Here's the sad story of a colletor who wasn't so lucky-

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24441427

10th March 2025, 02:21 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	A 'grenado' Here's an early grenado, perhaps, 1600's. It is roughly the size of a plum. Gilkerson, in Boarders Away II, says that these came in two sizes. Mine appears to be an 'Army' type, whereas naval grenados were larger, perhaps the size of a large orange. I know there are other shells with powder that were used like hand grenades, but the standard pattern 'easy to throw' types are the previously mentioned sizes. Mine has the distinction of still being filled to the rim with old congealed powder and shot (you can look down the hole and see it). As black powder can last for centuries, I keep this item in this highly protective plastic casing to shelter me if it explodes ()! Actually, it is just to keep it dry. It is stored in a shadowy corner of my cabinet and I've used melted candle wax to 'seal it' as I have every belief that it is still techniquely explosive. But I won't go throwing it in any campfires any time soon! Attached Images

10th March 2025, 02:38 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	A 2 pounder cannonball Here we have a 2 pounder cannonball, reportedly dug locally at the Yadkin River (near my home) where a skirmish during the Revolutionary War took place at the Battle of the Shallow Ford. The Americans liked these smaller ordenance as they could be fired from small cannons called 'grasshoppers' (as they jumped off the grass with firing!) that could be pulled behind a single draft horse to position it. Incidentally, 2 pounders were also used in swival guns placed on gunwales to rake enemy boats approaching and on wall swivels on forts. The Lewis and Clark expedition had a small swivel gun mounted on their front batteau as they made their way on their historic voyage. Attached Images Last edited by M ELEY; 11th March 2025 at 02:31 AM.

11th March 2025, 02:49 PM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Forgot to mention that these 'grenadoes' where sometimes lit and then shot out of small mortars before they exploded, adding greatly to the distance they could be 'delivered'!!

11th March 2025, 06:15 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,453	These are incredible displays Capn, the Eley Maritime Museum!!! It is amazing to see these items together in context like this. I dont know much on ordnance but I know its an area you have studied intently. Would powder inside these be inert or completely gone after time ?

11th March 2025, 07:03 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Hello Cap'n Jim! Good to hear from you! Black powder apparently has a very long shelf life and it is the reason that collectors have to be very careful if there is still powder in these shells. Most of the time, it gets washed away or mixes with earth and becomes inert. That being said, there have been people injured or even killed when dealing with these. The small grenado I posted is the only item I have that I know still has powder present. Years ago, I owned a very old coehorn mortar shell that someone plugged the hole with lead. Was it inert? I never found out, which is a good thing! Sold it a few years later. I know there have been places in Europe where old mortar shells from the 18th and earlier are found and the bomb squad is usually called in to safely detonate them. Here's the sad story of a colletor who wasn't so lucky- https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24441427